Charlotte Blake Alston

The centerpiece of this episode is an interview with storyteller Charlotte Blake Alston. Ms. Alston's work is a revival of traditional and contemporary African and African American oral and cultural tradition, and her storytelling is often accompanied by traditional  instruments such as djembe mbira, shekere or the 12-stringed kora. In the interview Sam and Charlotte discuss how music and storytelling overlap, her work with various orchestras and opera companies, and the richness of African and African American storytelling. Charlotte's stories "Po' Sandy" and "Anniko" are featured in this episode as well, along with her powerful recitation of Paul Lawrence Dunbar's poem "I Dream a World." For more information regarding Charlotte and her storytelling visit her website http://www.charlotteblakealston.com/. "Po' Sandy" and other conjure woman tales can be heard on Charlotte's album "Pine Trees and Frog's Legs," and the tale "Anniko" is from her album "The Racoon Story."